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Home > IL Providers > Addiction Counselors

Thomas Slonka, LCSW, CADC

(No ratings)

Specializes in: Addiction Therapy, Counseling and Social Work

Professional interests include: anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder

8 Salt Creek Lane Suite 202
Hinsdale, IL 60521

(331) 221-2505

Thomas Slonka, LCSW, CADC is an addiction therapist in Hinsdale, IL specializing in addiction therapy, counseling and social work. Thomas Slonka, LCSW, CADC is affiliated with Edward-Elmhurst Health, Endeavor Health Medical Group and EDWARD HEALTH VENTURES.

Office Locations

Address:

8 Salt Creek Lane Suite 202
Hinsdale, IL 60521

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Some issues Thomas Slonka, LCSW, CADC can help you with:

Anxiety

Anxiety is a generic name given to a variety of conditions characterized by unusual amounts of fear and worry, especially unrealistic fears and tension. People who suffer from anxiety often are aware that their fears are irrational, but that knowledge does not make the feeling of being scared and anxious go away. To qualify as anxiety, symptoms must last for 6 months or more and interfere with the way a person lives their daily life. Some cases may be mild, where, for example, a person simply avoids certain situations. Other cases can be severe enough to be disabling.

Some of the specific conditions covered under the general label of anxiety include:

Generalized anxiety disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Phobias
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Social phobia
Panic disorder

Collectively, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issues diagnosed in the United States -- even more common than depression. Women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with anxiety, and it is extremely common for a person with anxiety to have another illness at the same time, such as depression, a physical illness, or substance abuse.

Treatment for anxiety usually involves medication and psychotherapy together. Medications used may include antidepressants (which also work for anxiety), anti-anxiety medications, or beta blockers (which can be used to control the physical symptoms of anxiety). Psychotherapy can be useful to teach patients new ways of thinking and reacting so that they can manage their feelings of worry and fear. Support groups can also be very effective for anxiety, and they can be a form of treatment themselves for social phobias. Stress management, relaxation techniques, and meditation all help reduce feelings of anxiety or of being out of control. Finally, having a strong support network of family and friends is an excellent way to help manage the difficulties of life with anxiety.

Bipolar Disorder

Commonly known as manic-depressive illness, bipolar disorder is a serious mental condition characterized by extreme changes in mood. Individuals with this disorder experience emotional highs, or manic episodes, and lows, or depressive episodes. These episodes are distinct periods that are separate from the moods they may usually feel.

During manic episodes, individuals may:

Feel very happy and energetic
Speak very fast and about many different topics
Become much more active than usual
Have trouble sleeping
Engage in impulsive behavior, like spending a large sum of money

In contrast, depressive episodes may bring about:

Sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness
Very low energy and activity levels
Forgetfulness and trouble concentrating
Loss of appetite
Thoughts of death or suicide

Episodes may be a mixture of both manic and depressive symptoms. In such an episode, individuals with bipolar disorder may feel sad, empty, and hopeless but have a high level of energy at the same time. Sometimes, changes in mood are less dramatic. For example, individuals may feel happy and think everything is fine, but people around them may notice their mood changes. Episodes like this are called hypomania. If an individual is hypomanic and does not receive proper treatment, their condition will likely worsen.

Generally considered a lifetime illness, the disorder begins in the late teen or early adult years. Bipolar disorder has no known cause, but research has shown that it tends to run in families. To diagnose it, a psychiatrist carefully assesses an individual's moods and behavior patterns. They may also be asked to keep a daily record of their moods and other factors that can help with diagnosis and determining the right course of therapy. Counseling is a typical form of treatment, as is a group of medications that can control symptoms, called antipsychotics.

Depression

Everyone knows what it feels like to get the blues once in a while. But depression is a serious illness that is more severe than a bad day and lasts much longer. Symptoms of depression stop a person from being able to function and enjoy daily activities for weeks or months at a time. It can happen to anyone, and it isn't something that people can control by force of will or "snap out of it."

Some common symptoms of depression include:

Feeling sad, guilty, empty or hopeless
Fatigue and a lack of energy and motivation
A loss of pleasure in activities that were previously enjoyed
Unusual sleep or eating habits
Mental fog -- trouble concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
Physical aches and pains
Suicidal thoughts or a preoccupation with death

We don't yet know what causes depression, but it's thought that it is a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and social influences. Because of this, the most effective treatments for depression combine medication with psychotherapy. Therapy, especially cognitive-behavioral therapy, can be extremely helpful in resolving the negative thoughts and feelings that come with depression. It gives patients new tools that they can use themselves to cope when their depression is making them feel down.

Some of the common medications used to treat depression include antidepressants such as SSRI's (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft) or atypical antidepressants (Cymbalta, Wellbutrin). It's important to remember that these medications have different effects on everybody, and no one medication works right for everyone. Patients may have to try a couple before finding the one that works just right for them. If the first medication they try doesn't work, they should talk to their doctor about trying something else. In extreme cases where medication is not enough, electro-convulsive therapy and hospitalization may be the answer to keeping a severely depressed person safe.

Depression is a difficult illness to deal with, but it is more common than believed and there are many people who can help. With the right treatment, individuals with depression can get back to fully enjoying life again.

mental health therapy	127

**Gender**
Male	26
Female	32

Hypertension	62
High Cholesterol	59
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	0
Depression	75
Chronic Kidney Disease	0
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	0
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

mental health therapy	205

**Gender**
Male	15
Female	29

**Age**
From 65 to 74	15
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	13

Hypertension	61
High Cholesterol	57
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	34
Depression	75
Chronic Kidney Disease	27
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	32
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

mental health therapy	266

**Gender**
Male	26
Female	36

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	49
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	24
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	21

Hypertension	66
High Cholesterol	48
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	75
Chronic Kidney Disease	23
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	29
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

mental health therapy	203

**Gender**
Male	23
Female	22

**Age**
From 65 to 74	13
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	18

Hypertension	58
High Cholesterol	53
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	24
Depression	75
Chronic Kidney Disease	0
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	29
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

mental health therapy	188

**Gender**
Male	25
Female	12

**Age**
From 65 to 74	19
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	65
High Cholesterol	70
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	43
Depression	75
Chronic Kidney Disease	30
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	0
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

mental health therapy	228

**Gender**
Male	18
Female	17

**Age**
From 65 to 74	14
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	71
High Cholesterol	69
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	43
Depression	75
Chronic Kidney Disease	46
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	0
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

mental health therapy	505

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2015 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Thomas Slonka, LCSW, CADC for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Thomas Slonka, LCSW, CADC treated as an addiction therapist in Hinsdale, IL were mental health therapy.

mental health therapy	246

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2015 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Thomas Slonka, LCSW, CADC.

**Gender**
Male	13
Female	14

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	0
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	4
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	0
Other	0

**Age**
85 and over	0
75 to 84	0
Less than 65	5
65 to 74	8

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Thomas Slonka, LCSW, CADC From 2015 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Thomas Slonka, LCSW, CADC treated were depression, hypertension, high cholesterol and ischemic heart disease.

Hypertension	38
High Cholesterol	35
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	17
Depression	45
Chronic Kidney Disease	12
Asthma	0
Osteoporosis	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	9
Atrial Fibrillation	0
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Education & Training

He has a state license in Illinois.

Licensed In: Illinois

Affiliations & Hospitals

Thomas Slonka, LCSW, CADC is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Edward-Elmhurst Health

Endeavor Health Medical Group

EDWARD HEALTH VENTURES

Ratings & Reviews

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Biography

Mr. Thomas Slonka's specialties are social work, counseling, and addiction therapy. His areas of expertise include the following: depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Mr. Slonka is professionally affiliated with Edward-Elmhurst Health.